Collapsible container



Nov. 28, 1967 s. H. BIRRELL ET AL 3,354,924

COLLAPS I BLE CONTAINER Filed May 23, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.STEWART H. Bums LL Rosem- M. FE?

BY 6% 2469M;

1967 s. H. BIRRELL ET AL 3,354,924

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1966 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. SFEWJRZKSKELL G 7462M 22d .Y/M

FIG. 3

United States Patent 3,354,924 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Stewart H. Birrell,Sylvania, Ohio, and Robert M. Fey, Severna Park, Md., assignors t0Owens-Illinois, Inc., a corporation of Ohio Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No.552,107 1 Claim. (Cl. 150.5)

This invention relates to a collapsible container and more particularlyto one that may be readily converted from a collapsed compact form to anextended form. It is an object of the present invention to provide a newand diiferent container capable of readily being moved from an extendedto a collapsed position or vice versa by a simple twisting movement ofthe top relative to the bottom about the central axis.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the annexed sheet of drawings onwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a a perspective view of the container of the presentinvention in a completely extended position.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the container in apartially collapsed position.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the container in acompletely collapsed position.

Referring now to the drawings, there is provided a container having foursidewall portions, 12, 13, 14 and 15. Additionally, the container isprovided with a bottom wall 16 and a top wall 17 having a neck portion18 extending upwardly therefrom. If desired, reinforcing webs 19 may beprovided to stabilize the neck portion 18 on the top wall 17.

Each of the sidewalls, 12, 13, 14 and 15, has formed therein a foldlineextending diagonally thereacross. Only two of the foldlines 12a and 13afor sides 12 and 13, respectively, are visible in the drawings; however,the other two sidewalls 14 and have foldlines similarly disposed. Eachof the foldlines forms a groove depressed in its respective sidewall andextends diagonally in the same direction with respect to its sidewall aseach of the other :foldlines in their sidewalls.

As a result of this similarity of positioning, it is possible to movethe container from an expanded position, illustrated in FIGURE 1, to apartially collapsed position, FIGURE 2, and a completely collapsedposition, FIG- URE 3, merely by twisting the top wall 17 relative to3,354,924 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 the bottom wall 16. Such twistingmovement results in the top wall 17 rotating relative to the bottom wall16 about the central axis of the container.

For a container having the foldlines disposed in the positionillustrated on the attached drawings the bottle is moved from anextended to a collapsed position by rotating the top in a clockwisedirection. It will be readily apparent that the foldline for each of thesides may be disposed in the opposite direction, at from that shown inFIGURE 1, in which case movement of the container from an extended to acollapsed position would be eifected by twisting the top wall 17 in acounterclockwise direction.

It may be readily seen from the foregoing description that the presentinvention provides a container which may be readily moved from anextended to a collapsed position or vice versa. Numerous modificationswill become readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

A collapsible container comprising a body portion having four sides anda pair of ends integrally joined to form a closed body, one of said endshaving a neck opening formed therein, each of said sides having arectangular configuration and having a foldline extending diagonallythereacross, all of said foldlines being disposed in substantially thesame position on their respective sides, said container being movablefrom an expanded to a collapsed position by means of relative rotationalmovement of said ends about the axis of the body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 399,376 3/1889 Capehart -442,094,696 10/1937 Botelho 132-83 3,087,491 4/1963 Gewecke et al. 1282723,299,442 1/1967 White et al. 150.5 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 245,968 1/ 1926 Great Britain.

615,656 1/ 1949 Great Britain.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assilst'ant Exkrminer.

